Americans Buying More Lab-Grown Diamonds, But Only Real Rocks Romance

(gemkonnect.com) - If you had to guess, what would you think the purchasing trend for lab-grown diamonds by US consumers would be? Are they consciously buying an alternative item, or are the goods so small that the purchase is about the jewellery item, and not as much about what is set in it? It might surprise you to learn that by number of units sold, 32 percent of all the lab-grown diamonds sold in the US weigh 1-1.49 carats, based on data collected from nearly 4,000 specialty jewellery retailer doors in the US by retail metrics research firm NPD. Another 26 percent weigh 0.70-0.89 carats. Representing 58 percent of the total, it would seem that we are not talking small-set goods but more likely centre stones. Considering that a number of these items existed as loose stones in retailers’ inventory, we can conclude that retailers keep them on hand for clients. Due to a successful marketing effort, consumers are already aware of lab-grown diamonds and it is not unusual for them to walk into a retail outlet asking about them, or for them. Since early 2015, many US retailers who in the past were dead set against lab-grown diamonds, have changed their mind and are now following their clients’ lead.